Guys/Gals:

Just got this, this am.

Doug

Dear Doug,

“Thanks for your support!” to you from all of you.

It is now 0700 hours on Thursday, 23 March, and ‘all of you’ are the over 375(!) US multihull sailors who have joined the Complaint.

Your voice and your vote have sent a powerful message to the USOC and US SAILING that sailors from every part of the multihull community expect to be represented fairly and equally by the national governing body for the sport.

US SAILING will now be required to respond in accordance with the Bylaws of the USOC and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.

A number of sailors have asked if they are eligible to participate in the Complaint.

Here is what the US Olympic Committee Bylaws and the US SAILING Bylaws say:

· USOC Bylaw 8.1.a.1
"Any amateur sports organization or person which belongs to, or is eligible to belong to [US SAILING] may seek to compel [US SAILING] to comply with the requirements of the [USOC] Bylaws or the [Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports] act".

· US SAILING General Bylaw 201 – Eligibility
"The membership of US SAILING is open to all sailing organizations and all sailors, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, or national origin."

So, whether or not you are a current member of US SAILING – you are eligible to participate.

Information regarding the Complaint and its progress will be made available through email updates and web postings.

- Daily updates will be sent to you and all of the sailors who have voted their support.

- Special updates will be sent if there is important information or a new web posting.

The US multihull community is diverse and exciting. It is now discovering that it has a strong voice.

It is time to use our voice and to energize support for US multihull sailing at all levels: youth and learning to sail; recreational cruising and just ripping around for fun; one design and open racing; participation in international competition and Olympic campaigns.

US Multihull